Senior Legal Counsel

Salary for this Role:

Circa £100,000 (Pro rata) with benefits, subject to skills and experience

Job Title:

Reports to:

Closing Date:

Job Description:

Senior Legal Counsel

Reporting to: Jennifer Bowers, Deputy General Counsel 

Department: Legal & Governance

Contract term: This is a part-time, permanent position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

Salary for this Role: Competitive with benefits, subject to skills and experience.

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. 

The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy. 

About the role

Looking for a senior legal role that combines complex corporate and commercial work with meaningful impact? Join the Francis Crick Institute as Senior Legal Counsel and bring your expertise to an organisation helping to transform our understanding of human health.

You will join a friendly, collegiate and purpose-driven Legal & Governance team, taking on varied and intellectually stimulating work with a strong corporate and commercial focus, including M&A, investments, strategic transactions and complex agreements.

You do not need to come from a charity, research or life sciences background and biomedical or extensive IP experience would be desirable but not essential. We are looking for someone who can quickly get to grips with complex matters, enjoys working collaboratively and is excited by the opportunity to use their legal expertise somewhere it can make a meaningful difference.

This is a part-time role that offers a high impact opportunity with reduced hours and could suit someone looking for greater flexibility, returning to work, or interested in bringing their corporate and commercial experience to a purpose-led life sciences organisation. We envisage the role being worked over four days a week, including Friday, but we are open to considering fewer hours and other flexible working patterns that suit your individual circumstances while meeting the needs of the role.

We are keen to hear from a diverse range of applicants and professional backgrounds, so if the opportunity interests you and you meet the essential requirements, we encourage you to apply.

See the full job description here.

What you will be doing

You will be responsible for:

• Drafting, negotiating and advising on a broad range of corporate and commercial matters, including corporate agreements (including shareholder agreements and investment documentation), partnership arrangements, complex commercial contracts and strategic transactions.
• Providing pragmatic, commercially focused legal advice to teams across the Crick.
• Building trusted relationships with stakeholders across science and operations.
• Sharing your corporate and commercial expertise to develop capability across the Legal & Governance team.
• Supporting improvements to legal processes, ways of working and technology.
• Mentoring colleagues and contributing to a positive team culture.

About you

Technical expertise is important, but how you work is equally important to us.

You will be collegiate, curious and collaborative, with a genuine interest in the organisation you are supporting and the people you work alongside. You will enjoy sharing your expertise rather than working in a silo, be comfortable navigating unfamiliar territory and be motivated by the opportunity to use your legal skills in an organisation with a clear social purpose.

You will have:

(Minimum criteria *)

Essential:

• A solicitor or barrister admitted in England & Wales (or other common law jurisdiction) with a current practicing certificate, and with significant post qualification experience (or equivalent).*
• Corporate and transactional experience, ideally in a fast paced industry and/or start up environment with hands on experience in managing shareholder and investment documentation, fundraising and intellectual property matters.*
• General commercial contracting experience, ideally in a science or technology sector, and a sound understanding of the legal and regulatory context in which the Crick operates as a charitable company and biomedical research institute.*
• Experience of designing, using or developing ways of working and alternative and/or technology supported legal service models. Keen and confident user of technology and interest in exploring new technologies to foster team working, promote awareness, share knowledge and support compliance.
• Strong interpersonal skills and influencing skills (eg tact, integrity, confidentiality and patience) with highly developed emotional and political intelligence. Able to build personal credibility quickly and develop and maintain effective relationships with people with differing perspectives and needs. Exhibit presence and confidence when interacting with people at all levels across the organisation.
• A positive self-starter and team player.  Able to work effectively in a collegiate environment and consult with colleagues to share expertise and ideas to deliver new outcomes.  Act authentically and consistently and develop self-awareness by seeking feedback from others.  
• You think strategically. You are a problem-solver or gatekeeper, as the situation demands, delivering legal services with commercial awareness and to an excellent standard. You are confident to challenge previous ways of doing things and to drive a matter through to a successful conclusion.
• Excellent communication skills and an engaging delivery.  Able to present complex information as clear and simple communications. A concise, compelling written style with strong written accuracy and excellent legal drafting skills.
• Highly organised with strong planning skills and the ability to prioritise competing demands and tight deadlines. A methodical approach and an excellent attention to detail. Flexible, self-motivated and resilient under pressure.
• Experience of supporting and developing junior colleagues.
• A commitment to the Crick’s vision and core values.

Desirable:

• Experience working both in-house and in private practice.
• Experience of charity law and/or working within the charity sector.
• Experience of life sciences, research or higher education sectors.
• Experience of risk management tools and approach.
• Previous people management experience.

About Working at the Crick

Our values  

Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture! 

• We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently. 

• We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world. 

• We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community. 

At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer and want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we'll make reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply. If you need assistance with applying (i.e., would like to apply by phone or post) please email: [email protected].

Find out more about life at the Crick.

What will you receive?  

At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development: 

• Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays (pro rata for part-time employees)

• Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%. 

• Health & Well-being: 

• 24/7 GP consultation services. 

• Occupational health services and mental health support programs. 

• Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans. 

• Work-Life Balance: 

• Back-up care for dependents. 

• Childcare support allowance. 

• Annual leave purchase options. 
• Crick Networks offering diverse groups’ support, community and inclusive social events.

• Perks: 

• Discounted gym memberships, bike-to-work scheme, and shopping discounts. 

• Subsidised on-site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.

Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile, to have your application reviewed.  

We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received.